Samuel c



SQ C. THGRNTON.

Railway Signal.

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@man Y taten stent 'fitte Letters Patent No. 79,163, dated June 23, 1868.

IMPBOVED RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known thatyI, SAMUEL C. THoRNToN, of\Moorestown', county 'of Burlington, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new. and useful Improve'mentin Railway#Signals; v and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the samc, reference benghad to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in whicl1v Plate 1 is a perspective Vview of my railway-signah Plate 2 is afi-ont elevation of same.

The objectVA ofmy invention is 'to construct arailway-signal, so arranged, as hereinafter described, that it will do-.away with agmen, and lessen the danger at crossings, and warn parties on roads crossing railways of any approaching train. It is especially adapted -to streets that cross railways, where the approaching trains are obstructed 'from view -by houses; or, where the railway passes through woods, deep cuts, tunnels, or around curves, the usual signals on railways, by whistle, bell, `&c., cannot always beheerd, and are often neglected `to be used by the engineer. l

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe. its con struction and operation.

G S, plate I, represents the ground-surface of the road which crosses` the track, at a short distancefrom and-parallel with'the track, and on each side of the road I place two upright posts P and P', which are set in the ground at suilicient depth to secure them firmly in place. I then brace them at the top by cross-piece C l),

the posts P and P being seit above the ground at suilicient height to admit of the passhgeof `any vehicle, such v as a load of hay, dac., Ste. At a short distance below cross-piece P, I place a roller, C'R, having its bearings in posts P andP. On the end of the roller C R, which passes through post P', is placed/a bevel-geared whee'L'B V. On the outside of P', and near the top and bottom, are placed.l iron arms, Aand A', provided with bearings, in which runs the vertical shaft S. On theV end of shaft S, which passes through arm A, is placed a bevel'geared wheel, `B V', which works in bevel-geared wheel B V. On the opposite. end of shaft S, or the'end which passes through A', is placed bevel-geared wheel B V.

l The sleepers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, on 'which track R L is laid, are of the ordinary size, while sleeper 7 is made longer, and extends out to post P', on the under side, and working in the centre'of sleepers 2, 3, and 7, is placed a rack, R. In the centre and on top of sleepers L.tand 5 are placed bearings B `and B', in whichvwoirks rack R'.

Bothofsaid racks are provided with arms D and D', which extend a short distanceabove the rails R I1. Running' on aline with sleeper 7 is a shaft, S', on which is placed' a pinion, P N,working in the racks R and R', and a bevel-geared wheel, B V'", which works on B V", said shaft being guided and heldin place by arms A" and Ami Shaft S' can be continued,'if desired, on thewopposite side of the road, to operate a similar arrangement.

On the roller C R is secured a curtain, C, made of canvas, or any other suitable material,'having ou its end' an iron rod, ofsufficient weight to-give it a proper tension. i

I VNon', cooperate my invention, itis necessary that the cow-catcher ofthe locomotive should he provided with a bumper,H, made with a toggle-joint, (as shown on car in plate 2,) back of which is secured a. spring, S P, of suicient elasticity to keeplit set. This bumper can also be applied to the 'rear end of the ear, so as to operate the curtain when backing.

In building a fullsize machine, the rack R will work in bearings placed on the top of the sleepers, and also will be made vitha slight inclination, in order tocnable it to vwork on pinion P N. The rack R will also be provided withrsimilar bear-ings. l 5 l i The road which crosses the track should be covered withtightditting planks, so asrto guard against any dirt from passing through and on to racks R and E". y

' Operation. l

We will now `suppose a tranris approaching, and the racks'R and 1R' are now in the position, as shown in plate'l. The bumper H on the end of the cow-catcher strikes arm D of the rack R', and carries it forward, and

'turns the shaft S', vby means ofthe pinion P N, and communicates motion to 'theshaft S,by means of the bevel- 4gears B/V and B V", which again operate the roller C R, and lowers the curtain C, by means of the bevelgears B V and V. It will be seen `also by this movement, -that the rack R'moves to the right, while the rack R moves to the left; consequently the arms und D assume the position shown in plate 2. Arm Dnot being able to be pushed any further, in consequence of coming incontact with the bearing on the sleeper, the togglejoint of the bumper H is pressed back, and passes over the arm D, when it again assumes its proper position by means of the spring S P. The train now havingl passed over D', passes on until it'meets D, and carries it forward, andI consequently moves ra'ck R, which, in turn, movies all the conncctingshafts and gearing in the opposite direction, and raises the curtain. This lastmam'ed movement leaves the signal set in. the manner as shown in plate 1 and is ready for the next approaching train. It Iwill also be obvious that a train coming in the opposite direction from the one described, will act-on the curtain in the same manner as hereinbefore shown.

When itis desired, a lantern can be substituted in place ofthe curtain, to be raised und lowered in the same Theabove-described bearings, racks, shafts, and arms are made of iron, or .any other material that will answer the same purpose.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and operation, what I claim as new, and desire Vto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, isi 1. Frame, composed of C P, P, and P', roller C R, and curtain C, bevel-geared wheels B V, B V', arm A, shaft S, arm A', bevel-geared wheels B V and B V", arm A, shaft S', pinion P N, arm A", racks R and R', all constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner as above set forth and described.

2. Racks Rand R', with their arms D and D', said racks arranged with or without bearings, und'operatirig' in the` manner'and for the purpose above set forth.

3. Bumper H,with its toggle-joint and spring S P, arranged and operating on arms D and D', in the man'- ner as above s'et forth and described.

4. A railway-signal,,composed of the above-described parts, all combined, constructed, and operating in the manner as above set forth and'shown. v SAML. C. THORNTON.

Witnesses:

VCnnIs'roPHR' DAGGETT,

JonN CUTHEM. 

